Dr. Tom Frieden and Brandy Zadrozny on RFK Jr. and the CDC

The Al Franken Podcast

Government, Progressive, Politics, Senate, Liberal, Senator, Minnesota, Franken, News, Saturday Night Live, Comedy, Snl

4.6 • 7.7K Ratings

🗓️ 28 September 2025

⏱️ 47 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Trump picked RFK Jr. to take over the Department of Health and Human Services, and chaos has ensued. So far, RFK Jr. is ignoring the advice of experts and bringing along his cronies to push vaccine skepticism. It could have a devastating impact on the health of Americans for years to come.

We're joined by Former CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden, who currently heads global health organization Resolve to Save Lives, and MSNBC senior enterprise reporter Brandy Zadrozny, who has covered RFK Jr. for over a decade. Together we discuss the dangers that RFK Jr. poses to Americans’ health and how the “MAHA” movement is NOT making America healthy again.

We also talk through Trump and RFK Jr.’s latest announcement declaring Tylenol a contributing factor in the rise of autism, despite numerous studies saying otherwise.

READ Dr. Frieden's new book, “The Formula for Better Health”: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/798043/the-formula-for-better-health-by-tom-frieden-md-mph/

READ Brandy Zadrozny’s work for MSNBC: https://www.msnbc.com/author/brandy-zadrozny-ncpn858391

For information on our newest sponsor, Mint Mobile: www.mintmobile.com/franken

Transcript

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0:24.1	Hey, finally.
0:28.5	My two first-time guests are Tom Frieden, former director of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention,
0:36.2	and Brandy Zedrosny, investigative journalist and reporter
0:40.6	with NBC, NBC News, and MSNBC, who's been reporting on the CDC and RFK Jr.'s leadership of
0:49.6	health and human services. It may not come as a surprise to you, but Kennedy is leading the charge against
0:56.4	vaccinations and their alleged link to autism, something that science doesn't agree with. But a large
1:04.0	part of the MAGA base does, and Trump believes that Kennedy helped him win the election. That's why Trump took a leadership role last week, exhorting pregnant women not to take
1:16.5	Tylenol, as Dr. Frieden says that is totally against the science and potentially dangerous
1:22.6	to the baby.
1:24.5	Why Trump feels the need to inject himself into these things? I don't know. Remember when he
1:32.1	urged Americans to inject bleach to kill COVID inside their bodies? Biden brought that up during the
1:40.5	2020 debates. And by the way, maybe you could inject some bleach in your arm, and that would take care of it.
1:46.0	This is the same man.
1:46.9	That was said sarcastically, you know that.
1:48.6	That was said sarcastic.
	...

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